1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to a wall mounted trap for flies and insects and more particularly to such an apparatus including a replaceable cartridge of trapping material wherein the exposed surface of trapping material may be continuously or periodically replaced and wherein the cartridge may be installed, removed and disposed of without operator contact with the trapping material or insects trapped thereby. The trap includes a light source positioned above the cartridge and substantially spaced from the wall surface adjacent an energy concentrating surface for concentrating light from the light source onto the wall surface adjacent and above the trap.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Flying insects, such as flies a mosquitoes are a nuisance and present health and sanitation problems in many locations, such as restaurants, food preparation areas, food serving areas, residential facilities, rest homes and wherever flying insects present a problem. Various solutions have been proposed in the past to trap flies and insects, including such devices such as that disclosed in Phillips U.S. Pat. No. 4,117,624, which is table mounted and has an ultra violet light to attract insects onto a sticky reflecting surface. Sato et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,074,457, White, U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,822, Larkin, U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,501, and Nelson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,690, all disclose wall mounted units wherein a lamp radiates or reflects light onto a wall surface for attracting flies and insects to a sticky trapping material within the device. Smith, Patent Cooperation Treaty International Publication No. WO 92/20224 discloses another light based trap wherein a vertical panel of trapping material can be advanced across the front side of a vertical array of light tubes to provide for automatic replacement or renewal of the trapping material from time to time.
However, all of the above prior art have certain shortcomings which limit their effectiveness or render them impractical for use in sanitary environments such as food preparation areas. First, those devices which reflect light from a source onto a wall surface above the trap provide for direct or defused reflection of the light onto a large area of the wall thereby increasing the power requirements for the light source to provide sufficient intensity over a large portion of the wall surface to attract flies and insects. Likewise, the light source is generally positioned adjacent the wall surface on which the trap is mounted, whereby little light is radiated directly onto the wall surface adjacent and above the trap.
Another major problem with known traps of the prior art relates to sanitation, namely, operator contact with the trapping material and trapped insects when removing and replacing the same and the problem with insects and insect parts falling from the trapping material during replacement or removal of the spent trapping material from a trap.
Accordingly, a preliminary object of the present invention is to provide an improved wall mounted trap for flies and insects.
Another object is to provide such a trap which utilizes a light source as an attractant and which is energy efficient.
Another object is to provide such a trap capable of concentrating light from the light source onto the wall surface above the trap.
Another object is to provide such a trap wherein the light source is substantially spaced from the wall surface on which the trap is mounted for effective direct radiation of light onto the wall surface adjacent the trap.
Another object is to provide such a trap with a replaceable cartridge of trapping material wherein only a portion of the trapping materials exposed at a time and wherein the exposed portion is advanced across the cartridge to replace the exposed portion either continuously or from time to time.
Another object is to provide such a trap with a cartridge of trapping material capable continuous effective fly control over an extended period of time without operator intervention.
Another object is to provide such a trap having a replaceable cartridge which surrounds the trapping material for collecting any insects or parts of insects that fall from the trapping material.
Another object is to provide such a trap with a replaceable cartridge that can be easily handled with one hand without contacting the trapping material or trapped insects.
Another object is to provide such a trap having a replaceable cartridge of trapping material wherein the drive system for advancing trapping material in the cartridge is automatically engaged upon installation of the cartridge without any separate efforts or actions of the installer.
Another object is to provide such a trap which is simple and rugged in construction, economical to manufacture and use and efficient in operation.